Tadgh McNally: Taoiseach must answer why Fianna Fáil denied overpayment story

Fianna Fáil party leader Micheál Martin has tough questions to answer over Jim Gavin's presidential campaign. File Picture: Eamonn Farrell/© RollingNews.ie

As the dust begins to settle after two extraordinary days on the presidential campaign trail, there are a number of questions Fianna Fáil headquarters will need to address in response to the Jim Gavin calamity.

Mr Gavin exited the presidential campaign late on Sunday, after he was unable to answer questions about allegations he had failed to repay €3,300 paid to him by a former tenant by mistake.

The biggest question Taoiseach Micheál Martin will face over his party’s handling of the fiasco is why Fianna Fáil issued a statement denying the story.

In a response sent to the Irish Independent, the Fianna Fáil press office said Mr Gavin did not recall any rent dispute.

“In relation to the tenant, he does not have any recollection or records of any such dispute, and they have reviewed all the records they have from 16 years ago,” the statement read.

However, this was later rolled back, as the tenant in question provided documentation to Fianna Fáil on Saturday. Deputy leader Jack Chambers confirmed this “contradicted” what Mr Gavin had told the party.

“Subsequently, on Saturday, the tenant in question contacted the party and said that they did have records relating to this particular issue, and that was contrary to what the party had been told and what had been said on Friday,” Mr Chambers told RTÉ Radio.

It was clear that was emerging as a very serious issue that was put to Jim. There was engagement with him and, then over the weekend, it was clear that there was absolute veracity to what the tenant had said

Why, when this issue was discovered, was a clarifying statement not issued by the party and why was Mr Gavin unable to account for the matter during and after Sunday’s The Week in Politics debate?

Another question which will follow the Taoiseach is why he opted to back a political novice to run what is typically seen as the most brutal electoral contest in the country.

Mr Gavin looked uncomfortable in the media set-pieces of the campaign, including the two debates, which are key to getting across your message during a national campaign.

He got himself bogged down last week on issues with his campaign’s use of drones, or being pictured with active members of the Defence Forces.

Questions will also arise as to why public expenditure minister Jack Chambers was appointed as the party’s director of elections for the campaign, with the budget he was negotiating smack bang in the middle of it all.

Was the Fianna Fáil money minister too busy in negotiations, and did he take his eye off the campaign?

One final question will be whether or not the party opts to endorse Heather Humphreys, Fine Gael’s presidential candidate.

Any move to instruct Fianna Fáil supporters how to vote will likely face resistance from within the parliamentary party, particularly from those who still feel uncomfortable with the party’s closeness to Fine Gael.